PH to set use "centralized payroll system" for all government workers by 2014

Manila Sandard Today's Christine Herrera reports that hundreds of billions of pesos in salaries of almost 1.2 million government workers will be put under a centralized payroll system starting January 1, 2014, according to President Benigno Aquino III.

According to the report, the President has notified Congress that the administration will "set up a single bank account from which the salaries would be released to all state workers and employees, including those in local government units and state universities and colleges" beginning next year. Almost P700 billion in salaries for government employees will be put in the bank account.

Under the 2014 budget, all state workers-even those working in constitutional bodies that are supposed to enjoy fiscal autonomy-will only receive a "cash year-end bonus" of P5,000 instead of five-to six-digit bonuses they used to receive during the Christmas season.